Snap closure fastener



May 22. 1928.

T. O. SCHRADER SNAP CLOSURE FASTENER Filed July 11, 1927 Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES THOMAS O. SOHRADER, F

HARDWARE COMPANY, OF FULLERTON,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DENT PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF SNAP CLOSURE FASTENER.

Application filed July 11,

.This invention relates to a fastener for refrigerator or similar doors or closures. The fastener is especially designed for use with hingedly mounted closures, and 15 of the type that remains in inoperative posltion until the projecting end of the bolt engages the keeper when the bolt snaps into operative position pulling the door tlghtly against the frame. The fastener is especially designed for use with heavy doors, necessitating the use of com aratlvely strong springs to snap the bolt into position and to pull the door toward the frame, though, the fastener can obviously be made of light construction and 'used with small closures.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a fastener, embodying a spring to snap the bolt into its position behind the usual keeper shoulder, in which the spring may be put under compression when the door is opened by mechanism that applies the force necessary to compress the spring in a direction approximately parallel to the face of the closure. In this way the spring may be compressed with facility without applying forces that tend to swing the door on its hinges. In heavy doors including heavy springs this is a feature of importance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snap fastener, including a bolt rotatable on an axis parallel to the face of the closure, in which the bolt is held in retracted or inoperative position by virtue of a spring toggle, the links of which are in a straight line when the bolt is retracted, and which serves to snap the bolt into position when the toggle is broken.

Further objects of the invention will appear as a description of the invention proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a swinging door and frame showing the im proved fastener and its keeper in position thereon. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the fastener showing the projectingend of the bolt in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the position of the parts when the bolt is in operative position. i Fig. 4. is a view similar to Fig. 3 in which 1927. Serial No. 204,833.

the parts are shown in the'position occupied by them when the bolt is retracted.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the fastener with the parts thereof in the position occupied by them in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view tlnlough the crank shaft mounted on the b0 t.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the keeper.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, numeral 8 indicates a hinged door arranged to swing against a frame 9. A fastener 10 is secured to the door adjacent the edge thereof, said fastener including a bolt 11 arranged to engage a keeper 12 secured to the frame.

Fastener 10 comprises a casing 13 and attaching flanges 14 perforated at 15 to receive fasteners of any approved type. Passing transversely through the side walls of basing 13 is a bolt 16 rotatably mounted in said side walls. The shank 17 thereof between said side walls is square in cross section (Fig. 3) and sleeved on said shank is a crank shaft 18 having cranks 19 and 20 extending laterally therefrom. The crank shaft18 is held assembled with respect to ,bolt 16 by a screw 21 or in any other suitable manner. Bolt 16 is provided with a crank arm 22 upon the end of which a right angular extension 23 is formed. A roller 24 is sleeved on extension 23.

Bolt 16 is manipulated by a handle 25in the form of a bell crank lever having arms 26 and 27, said lever being pivoted on a pin 28 passing through outwardly extending ears 29 on casing 13. As shown on the drawing (Fig. 5) arm 27 passes through an opening 30in casing 13 and has a bifurcated inner end. A link 31 is arranged between arm 27 and bifurcated crank arm 19 on shaft 18 and connected to said arms by pins 32 and 33. (Fig. 3.)

Casing 13 is provided with spaced inw ardly projecting lugs 34. Said lugs are perforated to receive a pin 35 that is inserted through an opening in the adjacent side wall of said casing, the opening being in alinement with said perforations. A screw 36 serves to close said opening when the pin 35 is in position, to hold said pin in place.

Pin 35 passes through an elongated slot 37 in a link 38 arranged between lugs 34 of casing 13. Link 38 is connected between the bifurcations formed in crank arm 20 of shaft 18 by a pin 39. A coil spring 40 arranged between washers 41 threaded on link.

38 and surrounding said link serves to exerta force endwise thereof.

The keeper 12 is provided with a shoulder 42 behind which roller 24 carried by crank arm 22 on bolt 16 engages .when the door is latched. Said keeper also includes an abutment 43 normally arranged in the path of movement of roller 24 when the bolt is in its retracted or inoperative position.

In'operation, when the door is latched the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When it is desired to open the door, the operator grasps the handle 25 and pulls it toward him. Movement of said handle swings bell crank arm 27 downwardly communicating its motion through link 31 to arm 19 on shaft 18 secured to bolt 16. Bolt 16 is thus rotated withdrawing roller 24 from behind shoulder 42 on keeper 12. I Vhen shaft 18 is rotated, arm 20 thereof is turned from its position in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. The spring 40 is thus putunder compression and as the line of thrust of said spring is substantially alinedwith the axis of the bolt, a. toggle consisting of the arm 20 and spring 40 is formed, which, when the parts thereof are in alinement, keeps agm 22 and the roller 24 in raised position. The bolt thus is caused to remain in retracted or inoperative position. It will be observed that 'bell crank operating lever transmits pressure applied thereto to the link 31 in a downward direction. This link rotates shaft 18 and compresses spring 40. When such heavy springs are used, as are required in fasteners for heavy doors, considerable force is required to compress the spring. Bythe arrangement disclosed in this application such force may readily be applied because it is applied mainly in directions other than that required to swing the door on its hinges. Thus, it is not necessary to hold the door and interrupt its swinging movement to compress the spring.

\Vhen the door is swung to its closed position, the roller 24 strikes abutment 43 on keeper 12. The shaft 18 is thus rotated in reverse direction, breaking the toggle formed by arm 20 and spring 40 surrounding guide link 38. Said spring accordingly causes the roller 24 to snap behind shoulder 42, such movement serving to against the frame.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics of the invention, and the present embodiment is therefore to be considered'in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of press the door firmly the invention being indicated by the"appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A closure fastener comprising a casing, a bolt journaled in said casing, a pair of arms carried by saidbolt, a bell crank operating lover pivoted in said casing and having an arm projecting inwardly in said casing, a link connecting said bell crank arm and one of the bolt arms, a spring in said casing arranged bet-ween a fixed abutment in said casing and the end of the other bolt arm, and a spring guide link secured to said last named arm and slidably to said casing. said spring being arranged on said guide link.

2. A closure fastener for a hinged closure comprising a casing, a bolt journaled in said casing, a toggle including a spring link and an arm carried by said bolt to retain said bolt in its inoperative position, a second arm carried by said bolt, a bell crank operating lever pivoted in said casing having a down wardly projecting handle and a lever projecting in said casing, and a link connecting said last named lever and said second arm.

3. A closure fastener for a hinged door comprising a casing provided with means to secure it to a closure, a bolt journaled in said casing for movement about an axis substantially parallel to the face of said closure, a pair of arms carried by said bolt, a spring cooperating with one of said arms to hold the bolt in .re'tracted position when it is swung toward said position, a bell crank operating lever pivoted in said casing one of .the arms thereof being formed to constitute a handle, and the other arm thereof projecting in said casing, and a link connecting said last named arm and the other of said bolt arms.

. -4. A closure fastener for a hinged door comprising a casing, a bolt journaled in said casing, arms carried by said bolt within the casing, an abutment in said casing, a spring arranged between said abutment and the end of one of the bolt arms, the line of thrust of said spring being toward the axis of said bolt when the bolt is in its retracted position, and a bell crank operating lever pivoted in said casing, one arm thereof comprising a handle and the other aim being linked to the other bolt arm.

5. A closure fastener for a hinged door comprising a casing, a bolt extending across said casing and journaled in the side walls thereof, a pair of arms carried by said bolt, an abutment in said casing, a s ring arranged between said abutment and the end of one of said arms when the bolt is in its retracted position, said spring and arm being so related that when the bolt engages the keeper said spring snaps the bolt into operative position, and means to operate said bolt to retract it and compress said spring, said means comprising elements arr nged to apply a retracting and spring compressing force to the other of said bolt arms in a di-.

rection approximately parallel to the face of the closure.

6. A closure fastener for a hinged door, comprising a casing having side Walls, a bolt having a shaft journaled in said side walls and having an end offset with respect to said shaft arranged outside said casing, a sleeve non-rotatively arranged on said shaft and held from endwise movement "relative thereto by said side walls, a pair of arms secured to said sleeve, an abutment in said casing above said sleeve, a guide link secured to one of saidv arms and to said abutment by a pin insertible throughout one of said side Walls, a spring surrounding said link and engaging the end of said last mentioned arm and said abutment, an operating lever pivoted in said casing, and a link connecting the other of said arms to said lever, said last named link extending approximately parallel to the face. of said door.

'In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

' THOMAS O. SCHRADER. 

